Modern computing, communicating, and other systems are used widely, in many fields and have many, often multiple applications. These systems include computers of various types, some of which are readily portable. For a variety of applications, portability can be a useful attribute and some computer and/or communicating systems that are portable may thus readily execute such applications and some in fact specialize in such applications.
For instance, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones (cellphones), laptop, palmtop and other relatively small form factor computers typically perform a general variety of such applications. Further, a variety of portable computer systems are used with relatively specialized functions such as those relating to fields like surveying, construction, cartography, geodesics, agriculture and mining, etc. While some computer systems may not be especially portable, like their portable counterparts they perform a variety of useful applications.
Whether especially portable or not, many modern computer systems display information to their users. They display information on a variety of devices and components, which can use various technologies and media. Typical computer monitor devices include the cathode ray tube (CRT), an especially well-established technology, cold cathode or thin CRTs, thin film transistors, and liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, components, etc.
Small form factor, lightweight, low power consumption, and other considerations can be desirable attributes of particular display devices or components for portable computing and/or communication systems. Thus, display devices or components for portable computer/communication systems tend to be relatively small in comparison for instance with many typical desktop computer monitors. Efficient use of display area is however generally beneficial for most display device/components.
Further, while perhaps efficiently designed for a specific function set, role, etc., where compared with substantially stationary systems such as desktop PCs and workstations, portable computers may have less processing and memory capacity and other more generalized computing resources and capability. For instance, while portable electronic surveying computer devices and cell phones are especially efficient at mapping and plotting surveying data, and at communicating and networking, respectively, their processors and memory capacity may be more limited that a variety of PCs. For portable and other computing/communication systems with such relatively limited available computing resources, display area use efficiency can thus also be significant.
With the relatively small displays and computing capability associated with portable computing systems, efficient use of their available display area can be a significant consideration for an application. In fact, whether a host computer system is readily portable or not, many applications can display information more effectively thereon where the application can make efficient use of a display device/component's available display area. Thus while some of the following discussion refers to an exemplary portable computer system/device, etc., this reference is exemplary. This reference exemplifies computer/communication systems in general, whatever their relative degree of portability.
An exemplary surveying application that is run on a computer platform may display a map. The map has a variety of features, which include a labeled graphical rendition or representation of a given geographical location, area, etc., hereinafter referred to as a “graphical geo-representation.” The map can also include various markers such as reference points, textual and symbolic annotations, surveying marker and/or reference points (e.g., related to a specific geographical location represented by the map's geo-representation), other symbols, text and the like.
These displayed markers are typically intended to provide to a user significant information relating to the map displayed, the application generating the display and/or the computer platform upon the display unit of which the map is rendered. Typically, these markers are superimposed on the graphical geo-representation. However, textual and symbolic information and/or graphical text and symbol fields corresponding to these markers can occlude and obfuscate each other, features of the geo-representation, and/or clutter, in some situations considerably, the graphical geo-representation.
The user may be confused by this clutter and obfuscation. The user may also be unable to visually access the obfuscated portions of the geo-representation. Further, the user may be unable to decipher displayed, perhaps significant textual information that is cluttered with other text, graphical field boxes and/or other displayed information.
Graphical clutter and obfuscation of a computer display such as is exemplified above is not an issue that is limited to map displays. In the display of webpages, text, images, portable and other documents and a variety of other graphics, graphical clutter and obfuscation such as is exemplified above can occur as well. Further, such graphical clutter and obfuscation is not an issue that limited to only surveying applications, nor to portable computing/communication devices.
Graphical clutter and obfuscation can confront an array of different applications that display information and can reduce the information display efficiency of desktop monitors, television screens of any type, including large screen, projection, and image wall types, as well as the relatively small display units typical of portable computer/communication devices.
Graphical clutter and obfuscation can interfere with and reduce an application's efficient display of information on a map or other graphical information rendition. Reduction in display efficiency can cause confusion, delay, and cost. Thus, graphical clutter and obfuscation can detract from the usefulness of an application and/or a computer/communication system display.